BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - SIX men who had their criminal appeals heard at the sitting of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court of Appeal last week were dismissed and their convictions and or sentences were upheld.
Jason Rouse, Wycliffe Liburd, William Gift, Vernon Lake, Henry Alfred Williams, and Shesil Somersall appeared before the Appeal Court headed by Chief Justice Janice Pereira last week (Nov. 26-30) and had their appeals heard but were unsuccessful in encouraging the Justices to disturb the trial judges and juries decisions.
Rouse had appealed against his May 26, 2012 sentence that was imposed on him for the offence of receiving.
He was sentenced to six years imprisonment.
Rouse simply stood before the Appeal Court and requested to go home, but noted that "the decision is up to the court".
Chief Justice Pereira told Rouse that he was not at a sentencing hearing and reminded him that he had a long list of previous convictions and the receiving offence was committed while he was on bail.
Rouse was sent back to prison to serve his full sentence.
Liburd made an attempt to appeal his murder conviction and his life sentence, but he too was unsuccessful in satisfying the Justices.
He was tried and convicted for the April 18, 2008 murder of 32-year-old Charles 'Abaloo' Mitcham.
Liburd argued his case on a number of grounds but was countered on each brought to the fore.
His case was dismissed after he failed to steer the Justices in his direction.
Gift also appealed against both conviction and sentence for the February 28, 2008 wounding of
Clive ‘Fegs’ Murray.
He was given six years in prison.
Gift, after pleading with the court, was told that he was not a person of unblemished record and that the trial judge said he seemed prone to violence.
His case was then dismissed.
Lake, was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison for indecent assault; an offence that was committed on a young female in 2008.
He had appealed both conviction and sentence.
Lake was however told by the Justices, after arguing his case, that they saw no reason for them to disturb the guilty verdict set by the jury or the sentence imposed by the trial judge.
He was then sent back to Her Majesty's Prison to serve the remainder of his sentence.
Williams appealed both conviction and sentence of a September 12, 2009 offence of rape and wounding with intent and was sentenced to serve 10 years on the first count and five year on the second.
The Justices ordered that he be sent back to prison.
Somersall had appealed against his conviction and sentence for possession of controlled drug and possession with intent to supply, which was also dismissed.
The six men had left the Basseterre High Court where the Appeal Court was sitting with disappointment written on their faces.
